Misinformation plentiful when it comes to sun safety

When someone like Marcia Cross (she's that pale redhead from "Desperate Housewives" whose internal organs you can see when she stands in front of a bright light) goes under the sun, the first thing that comes to mind is, "Girl! You better get some lotion on!"

But when someone like Wesley Snipes steps foot on the beach, are we as quick to worry? Likely not.

But just because Marcia is more likely to go up in a ball of flame, that doesn't mean Wesley is safe. The fact of the matter is that Wesley is more likely to get skin cancer.

Ultraviolet-A (UVA) radiation is what causes people to tan. It triggers cells called melanocytes to produce melanin (the culprit behind melanoma), and melanin is the brown pigment behind tanning. Darker skinned people tan more deeply than lighter skinned people, so there's actually more risk of skin cancer.

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